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Takashi Saito signs with the Boston Red Sox

Takashi Saito's tenure with the Dodgers officially ended today when the Boston Red Sox announced that they had signed the Japanese reliever to a one-year contract that includes a club option for 2010.

The Dodgers parted ways with the 38-year-old Saito (pictured at left) last month because they didn't want to risk facing him in an arbitration hearing.

Saito, who saved 81 games for the Dodgers over the last three seasons and was an All-Star in 2007, was in line to get a significant raise from the $2 million he earned last season. But the Dodgers had concerns about his elbow, which sidelined him for two months and kept him out of the National League Championship Series.

Saito was 4-4 last season with 18 saves and a 2.45 earned-run average in 45 games.